Cannabis Hybrids

In 2011, the Golden State Collective (GSC) Cannabis Laboratories wrote that more than 99 percent of cannabis species are “derived from only two cannabis family species,” i.e., sativa and indica. Of course, this does not mean that most cannabis strains are either sativa or indica. Many cannabis farmers crossbred the two gene pools to create countless hybrid strains, and these hybrids fall into three general categories: sativa-dominant, indica-dominant and fifty-fifty.

Why merge the two species? Some farmers crossbred so that sativa-dominant strains are better equipped to survive in harsher climate, and others sought to balance out their respective effects. For instance, a sativa-dominant hybrid may be cerebral and stimulating and still relax the body, while an indica-dominant hybrid can provide higher CBD levels and sedation without putting the person to sleep. Still, due to the extensive amount of hybridization that has taken place, some researchers suggest that many plants contain at least some measure of the sister species even when exclusively labeled a sativa or indica.